Jak and Daxter: Scions
by Guardian of Tears
Summary: With Metal Kor cold and dead in his grave, the people of Haven think that they can have peace. Fools. There can never be peace, the Metal Head threat is still ever present, and the arrival of strangers heralds new conflict for humanity...
1. Salt on Snow

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Jak and Daxter: Scions

A post-Jak II fan fiction by Guardian of Tears

I originally started writing this on _www.guardian-of-tears.deviantart.com__, the website on which my artwork is stored. However, I decided to put it up here to see what all of you think of it. It's sort of J/OC (why sort of? You'll find out later), so if that's not your thing then I'm not making you read this. Constructive criticism is always welcome._

Jak II, Haven City and all cannon characters are property of Naughty Dog, all original characters and locations are property of Guardian of Tears' twisted psyche, and thus belong to her, I'm not making any money from this.

Enjoy, and please comment if you can think of anyway I can improve this.

~Guardian of Tears and Brogan

Part One: Salt on Snow

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Karka City

10 Years Ago

The snow fell from the sky, spinning, twisting, turning, tumbling through that sable night and onto the upturned faces of the people. It was the longest, darkest, coldest night of the year, the pinnacle upon which the wheel of the seasons turned towards warm spring and the promise of gentle summer.

The tiny white stars alighted on the faces of the people, and remained for a moment before the heat from their skin caused the delicate structure to melt away and lose its form. In the city state of Karka everybody was on the streets, from the oldest hag to the youngest babe, despite the winter chill. 

It was a great annual celebration, saluting the dying year and welcoming the birth of the new, thanking the Lord of Winter for this time of regeneration and quiet beauty, praising his nobility in surrendering the world throne to the Summer King. It was a time of joy and the dark lanes and roads heaved with life. Music filled the air, emitting from the many countless instruments, their sound made all the more magical by the ringing out of laughter like the call of many silver bells. People dressed in all the colours of the rainbow danced and sang while weaving between the houses, clapping their hands, stamping their feet and tossing their heads. Everywhere was bathed in warm light from a thousand bonfires and torches. Doors opened out onto the parades, the warm smell of good hot home cooked food wafted through the air like the finest perfume. Over it all enough fireworks to destroy a small country burst and sparkled and exploded with showers of blue, green, red, gold, every colour you could think of.

Everywhere was full of warmth and light and joy and sound, but nowhere more so than in the Fountain Square, in the centre of which was the home of the ruling family, the Marble Tower. It was tradition that on high days the royal court dined on the great table of hewn alabaster set on the steps of the great tower, and this night was no exception. Lord Klan Saxon, Master of Karka City, sat at the head of the table, on either side of him sat his ten year old twin son and daughter. Another tradition was that all of the parades would pass this table, and receive the blessing from the Master and the promise of another year's protection. As the most recent parade left the presence of the Master he turned to his right.

'Daughter, You're countance is not as joyus as one would expect.' He said gently.

The girl sighed. 'Good Father, my Lord, ten winters have I seen this celebration, and after ten years it has grown tedious.'

Lord Klan sighed. He was a large man of proven valour; his size nineteen boot supported a frame of sturdy sinew and strong bone. Scars covered his body and his mane and bushy beard, both flame red, made him an imposing figure in his youth, yet now strands of silver were working their way through and he was tiring more easily. HIs daughter only made life harder; she did not fully understand how much the recent events had wounded his heart, as well as hers and her brother's.

'Sweet one, you were not so melancholy the winter last.'

'The winter last was but my ninth, not my tenth.'

'And we were a family then.' Klan said softly. The girl's head whipped round, dark chocolate eyes exactly like her father's narrowed.

'I will not have you speak of that woman to me.' She hissed. 'Alas that she is my mother, I would sooner a Metalworm to be my matron!'

'Father?' A young boy's voice questioned. Klan turned to his left, thank the gods for his son. The boy was the image of his father, his large dark eyes full of mischief. 'Our guest has left the table in a hurry; I fear he has sampled the Yakcow steak.'

Klan gave a short burst of laughter. 'I am sure he shall return lad, though it was uncurtious of him to leave so suddenly.' Klan gestured to the attendant. 'Bring some mulled wine to the table, the chill is-?'

A deep rumble from the earth was felt from beneath the feet of the city, barely audible in itself but not in the amount of sound it caused. Screams filled the air as people were knocked from their feet like skittles, drinks and food spilled from table tops and elderly masonry from the ancient architecture came crashing down around the partiers.

'My dress!' Klan's daughter shrieked. "Wine spilled on my new dress! Father it's ruined!'

'You!' Klan pointed towards a young guard with dark skin and a captain's insignia, ignoring his daughter. 'Go and establish if anyone was hurt.'

'Yes sire!' The captain turned to one of his men but before he could utter a single word the screaming hit a fever pitch. The son of Klan pointed to the sky.

'Father look!' A deeper shade in the night sky, heading steadily towards them, and enormous bloated shape flying on insect like wings, trailing after it like the tail of some unholy comet, thousands of darker, buzzing shapes.

'I know what that is.' Klan murmured in horror.

'Metalheads!?' The captain bellowed. 'How'd they get into the city!?'

'Captain, we've just received word that Ambassador Erol from Haven has sabotaged the Eco Grid!' One of the guards informed Klan.

'PARDON!?' The lord demanded.

'And Krimzon Guard transports have just landed outside the city, intelligence believes that they are working with the Metalworms.'

'It's just like Naur.' The captain said softly.

'Karka shall not fall like the city of your birth.' Klan told him. 'Captain Sig, please escort my children to a place of safety. Leave ten of you're best men with them and then return to me, we shall need every man of strong sinew in the approaching battle.'

'Yes sire.'

'Protect them with you're life.'

'Yes sire.'

Klan now turned to his children. 'You must go now with captain Sig and his men.' He told them. 'Stay close to them and do what he tells you.'

'Follow the orders of a lowly _solider_!? Never!' The girl snapped. 'I am a maid of high birth!'

'And maids of high birth are meek and dutiful and _obey_ their father's commands.' Klan said testily. His daughter glared at him but said nothing.

'Father?' The little boy said fearfully. 'What shall you do?'

'Stay here and lead our defence.' Klan told him gently.

'But it will be dangerous-' Klan cut him off.

'I will come for you both once it is over.'

'But-'

'Have I ever broken a pledge to you or your sister? I will come for you. Now go with Sig and look after your sister, make sure nothing happens to her.'

The girl muttered something about not needing protecting.

'As you wish… my lord.'

'Good lad. Now all of you go!'

Klan watched his children leave, surrounded by guards, he knew he had to start organizing the defence of the city, yet he had the need to watch them until they had vanished from his sight. Lord Klan looked to the sky; he could see the wicked yellow light from the gems embedded in the heads of the foes.

'May the gods watch over you both, my children, be safe.'

~*~

Captain Sig blasted the last Metalhead into oblivion and gestured for the two royal children to follow him. 

'You two okay?'

'Oh, I am _perfectly _fine, thank you _so_ much for asking.' His female charge said sarcastically. Sig scowled, he had often privately thought that a good slap every now and then would have done the girl a world of good.

'Are there any more of those worms sir?' The boy asked.

'Don't look like it. Hurry up.' The small group now had to cross an open square, thought it looked empty Sig knew appearances could be deceptive, just to be on the safe side he pulled out a Dark Eco grenade and tossed it lightly into the centre of the square. It flashed on an off for about three seconds and then exploded in a burst of purple light.

'Okay kids, let's go!'

The group dashed out, Sig in the lead closely followed by his men, who had formed a tight circle around the children. They were about halfway through the square when disaster struck, a violet blast of light shot at them from above, striking the back of the group and killing all but Sig and the children. An enormous bulbous monster landed right in front of the trio and its evil yellow eyes locked onto the two small figures cowering just behind the captain.

'Now then, what are little children like yourselves doing out so late at night.' It inquired. 'Didn't your mummies and daddies tell you that it's… dangerous.'

The eyes of the two children were wide, their lips drawn back into grins of pure terror, their feet frozen to the floor. The boy reached out to take his twin's hand.

Sig swung his gun into position. 'No way in hell am I letting you anywhere near these kids!' He growled.

The creature laughed. 'Do you think that toy of yours can stop me, little boy?'

Sig's green eyes narrowed and fired a direct shot at the creatures face, hitting it right in the eye. It roared in pain.

'You'll pay for that boy!' It reared up onto its back legs and swiped the young guard to the side as easily as a kitten bats a ball of wool. Sig felt his body connect with the wall and heard something crack, the blinding pain he felt coursing through his body offered the distinct possibility that he had broken some bones. He tried to open his eyes but they were filled with blood. He heard the children screaming as he lost consciousness.

That sound haunted him for the rest of his long life.

'I only need one of you.' The creature said as he towered over the children. 'And the boy would be preferable.'

The children slowly began to back away, hand in head, their eyes never leaving the creature's face.

'Now, are you going to come quietly, like good children?'

'RUN!' The boy commanded. At the sound of her brother's voice the girl's feet, almost of their own accord, turned and fled.

'Looks like I'll have to separate you two.' The creature growled, aiming a beam of light at the children's heels. The blast caused the two small figures to fly through the air in opposite directions. The male landed at the entrance to an ally, the female was less fortunate, landing in the south-west corner of the square.

The monster lumbered over to her as she climbed slowly to her feet. 'The boy would have been preferable, but you'll do!' Fast as lightning one claw snapped out and grabbed the girl around the waist.

'KAI! HELP ME!' She screamed as the monster opened its wings and left the ground.

'FYRE!' Kai ran over to his sister but the Metal Head was already beyond his reach.

'KAI PLEASE!' His sister Fyre shrieked.

'NO! DON'T TAKE HER!'

Kai watched helplessly as the abomination flew into the night sky, carrying his only sibling screaming in terror to whatever dark fate he had install for her. The snow was falling faster than ever, covering the dead bodies around him in a sheet of pure white. The air stank of blood and sweat and in the darkness around him he could hear the screams of the doomed as the invaders feasted on their still living flesh. Behind him, from the darkness of the ally he could hear iron clad boots, the Krimzon Guard of Haven city, but none of this mattered any more, the boy sank to his knees and began to sob quietly to himself.

~*~

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Haven City

Present Day

The city was in the midst's of a great celebration. Jak, hero of the people had returned from the Metal Head nest, dragging the severed head of the Metal Head leader as a grizzly trophy. The tyrannical Baron Praxis was dead and the people were calling for Jak, recently revealed to be the heir of Mar, to take his rightful place on the throne. They were all assembled outside the palace, chanting his name over and over again.

'It's you they want.' Ashelin told Jak with a smile.

Jak peered out at the assembled crowd. 'But what do they want me to do?' he protested. 'I don't know the first thing about running a city!'

'I don't think they really care.' Kiera said. 'You're the hero, they admire you.'

'Why don't ya let me talk to them?' Daxter asked helpfully. 'Explain to them that you'd be a worse ruler than Praxis.'

Jak glared at his friend but remained silent.

'What you'll need,' Samos said carefully, 'is an advisor, someone who knows about ruling already, has doubtlessly already been trained to rule. Someone, in fact, like Ashelin.' He slapped the former guard on the back.

'Who me?' Ashelin looked frankly terrified.

'Yeah!' Jak enthused. 'You'd be great at the job Ashelin.'

Ashelin stood blinking. 'But, I'm Praxis' daughter; I don't think the people will accept me.'

'They will if Jak tells them to, they're like sheep, blindly following orders.' Torn stated, smiling at Ashelin.

'Great, now, err, Governor Ashelin, your first task is to go out there with me and tell me what the hell I should say.' Jak said, grabbing her by the arm and leading her outside.

'Hey, wait! I didn't say-' But it was to late, the crowd erupted as Jak stepped out onto the balcony. He opened his mouth and began to speak as the crowd fell into a hush.

Atop a building towering over the crowd three figures stood watching, thought their appearances varied there was one similarity between them, their eyes were all covered.

'Who is he?' The only male in the group asked, he was tall and dark with a deep rumbling voice and his cropped hair was a shade of dark brown, like the trunk of an oak tree.

'Haven's new ruler apparently.' Drawled the woman who appeared to be the leader in a well bred voice, her waist length black to red hair was held back in a long plat.

'So he's the one we have to _thank_.' The man said nastily.

'Hush Heaven,' the woman said, 'we all know one of us would have slain Kor in the end, a shame I did not have the pleasure of watching his final moments myself.' She turned to the other female. 'What say you Ruby?'

'Ah say,' the once known as Ruby replied in a pleasantly accented voice, 'that if this here fella really is the heir of Mar like he's claimin' ta be, he might be useful ta us.' Ruby worn armour, well made but antique looking, at her waist were a pair of short swords and what hair escaped from the well fitted helmet was curled in thick ringlets and reddish brown in colour.

'Humph, not necessarily.' Heaven's lips curled back in disgust. 'Did you just hear? He's just named Praxis' daughter "Governor" of Haven.'

'Out with the old and in with the new eh?' The leader muttered ironically.

'So, whut is our plan then Rox?' Ruby asked.

'Our plan?' Ruby though for a moment. 'We have two main objectives. Now that Kor is no more we must find a cure, otherwise we shall suffer the same fate as Ivy.' They all bowed their heads in remembrance.

'And the second?' Heaven inquired.

'We are going to find my brother.'

'You're not _still_ going on about _that_?' Heaven whined.

Before he had realised what was happening Heaven found himself lifted up by the collar of his shirt and dangled over the edge of the roof. Ruby gasped and covered her mouth but stood by helpless.

'It is a fifty foot drop.' Rox said pleasantly as his feet kicked out in protest. 'Do you still want to argue?'

'No! No Rox! Of-of course not!'

'Good.' Rox heaved Heaven back onto the surface of the roof and dropped him unceremoniously onto the stone.

'If anyone knows of a cure then the soothsayer Onin does.' Rox stated matter-of-factly. 'Kor often spoke of her. However, before we speak to her we shall go and have a look at the late Praxis' secret files for information.'

'How are we going to do that?' Heaven asked as Ruby helped him to his feet.

'Break into the palace, obviously.'

The crowd below them cheered as Jak (with some help from Ashelin) finished his first public address.

'Whut about them?' Ruby asked, gesturing to the platform where Jak and Ashelin were standing. 'She's hardly gonna to let _us_ wander about the palace.'

'What about them?' Rox shrugged. 'If they stay out of our way we leave them alone.'

'And what if they don't?'

Rox spun round to face her two companions and pulled her goggles up onto her forehead. 'Then we deal with them.' She stated ominously as her yellow eyes burned like the gates of hell.


	2. Duel

Part Two: Duel

The night air was clammy, the summer heat was smothering the city like a quilted blanket. Jak tossed and turned on his large bed as he struggled to catch a few hours sleep. He wasn't used to sleeping in a bed, that was the problem. Two years imprisoned in a cold bare cell and sleeping rough with the Underground meant that such comfort was now alien to him.

Next to him in the bed, Kiera stirred.

Jak glared down at the sleeping woman, she wasn't making things any better. Kiera was terribly clingy and in this humidity that was not a good thing. He would finally drop off only to wake up a few hours later to find Kiera's form wrapped round him, the heat generated by this was unbearable.

With a grunt of frustration Jak flung the covers off him and climbed out of bed, gods he needed a shower, the bed sheets clung to him. Jak ambled over to the en-suite bathroom, pulled off his boxers, locked the door and set the shower to cold.

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Ahhh, much better, he though as the cool water slid over his skin like a mother's caress. He stood with his head tilted up, his long green blond hair hung limply down the side of his face.

He wasn't used to sleeping in a bed, that's what he told himself, once he got used to life as Haven's "ruler" he could settle down to the quiet life he craved. Or thought he did.

In truth this "quiet life" was the cause of his insomnia. He was bored, nothing to do but sit around in the palace all day trying to sort out the city's complex political corruption. His body was protesting at not being used, he wasn't physically tired when he went to his bed, his mind was exhausted, his body was not, he was restless.

He felt useless, Torn was out leading the Krimzon Guard while they eradicated the last of the Metal Heads, Jak wished he could be out there with them, even if Torn got on his nerves, but a ruler couldn't go off like that, not at a time like this, that's what underlings were for.

He didn't even have Daxter to keep him amused, he was kept very busy with running Krew's old bar with the aid of Tess and Sig, the only person he could seemingly really have fun with now was Kiera, but she seemed to spend most of her time hanging off his arm and give all the noble woman angry glares should they try to even catch his eye. This had been rather amusing to begin with, he had never really expected Kiera to be the jealous type (until she first met Ashelin in the Race Garage, it was still kind of funny when he though back to it) but now it was just tedious and extremely annoying.

The young man climbed out of the shower and shook himself off, cat-like. Looks like it was going to be another night of pacing the long corridors of the palace.

Heck, if he was in luck, he might find where they were stashing the booze and he could drink himself into a stupor.

Jak finished dressing then crept silently past the bed where Kiera was sleeping. He opened the door and stepped out into the corridor.

'I'm just going for a walk.' He told to two guards posted outside, they saluted.

'Yes Lord Jak.'

Jak rolled his eyes at the title, he didn't think he was ever going to get used to the titles, but at least "Lord" wasn't as bad as "Your majesty" or, worse of all, the dreaded "Your Eminence". That one gave him the horrible feeling that he was suppose to spend all of his life in some sort of enclosed space and never speak to women.

Jak wandered aimlessly through the corridors, up and down stairs, sticking his head into rooms to see what was there.

He had just reached the library when he realised something, where were the guards? Usually they could be found patrolling the corridors, but tonight the palace was almost abandoned.

He turned a corner and blanched at the sight that met his eyes. Okay, this was why there were no guards patrolling. They were dead.

Three guards lay sprawled on the floor, one of the men had his neck broken, a pool of dark blood surrounded the second, coming from an ugly wound in the back of his head and the final one lay rigid on the floor, eyes staring in blank horror, there wasn't a mark on him. It was almost as if he had been scared to death.

Jak dashed over to a control panel in the wall and hit a large red button with his fist.

Nothing. Whoever had killed the guards had obviously disabled the Palace alarms. He quickly took stock.

No communicator. No weapons. No Eco. No help. He was all alone in a dark corridor with a homicidal maniac (or possible maniacs) on the loose.

Nothing to worry about then.

He set off at a gentle jog, ears and eyes pealed for any sign of movement. He could feel the adrenalin starting to flow through his veins like a steady flame, he was becoming more aware, his warrior spirit was stirring, flexing it's fingers and grinning at the prospect of a desperate fight for survival.

Who was he kidding? "Done with adventures"? His entire life had been one long adrenalin rush, one fight after another, the buzz was incredible. If he survived, and that was part of the thrill, not knowing if he would survive or not, he would definitely sleep well tonight.

But that wasn't the only thing that stirred at the prospect of a battle. In the darkest part of his soul the beast stirred, lured out of the slumber the death of Metal Kor had placed it in, the sweet sent of blood awoke Dark Jak, and he grinned in animalistic delight. Dark Eco wasn't necessary, should Jak's negative emotions overpower him, the black tide of the beast would sweep over him like a tsunami.

Then there would be blood.

He turned a corner and slid to a stop, the girl standing about ten feet in front of him looked up, her eyes were covered by a pair of dark green goggles and a purple scarf covered her face from to nose down. Jak realised with growing disgust that her left foot was pressed down on the corpse of a guard, his eyes were bulging out of his head, his tongue lolled and his face was blue. Suffocation was a nasty death.

Rox stared at the man who had the misfortune to come across her. Wasn't this the new ruler of Haven, what's-his-name? Dark blue eyes like the ocean at night, slightly damp green-gold hair and vaguely familiar. 

Wait, if he was an heir of Mar then of course he would be familiar. The girl was grateful that her green tinted goggles hid her eyes as the darted towards the door to her left, where Heaven and Ruby were trying to hack into the secret files.

'Who the hell are you!?' The young ruler demanded.

This was the man who took down Kor, he was bound to be a better fighter then the dead guards that lay scattered around the palace, and she needed to give Heaven and Ruby as much time as necessary. This thought process took only a fraction of a second and then she was off, streaking down the corridor as fast as possible. 

'Hey! Where do you think you're going!?' Good, he was following her.

Jak ran as fast as he could through the Palace, but whoever this girl was, she was fast, faster than him, he could barely keep up with her. It got to the stage where whenever he turned a corner he would see the flash of the tails of her faded black leather trench coat vanishing around the opposite end.

Why would someone who obviously doesn't mind slaughtering the guards in the most brutal of fashions be running from me? He thought to himself.

Rox came to a halt in the throne room.

'Damnit!' She hissed. There didn't look like anyway out for her, she was going to have to make a stand here. She eyed the large throne at the opposite end of the chamber and smirked. Well, if it was going to be fight, it might as well be on her terms.

The double doors opened and Jak slid to a halt. The psycho chick was sprawled on what was technically his throne (only technically since he hadn't actually been crowned yet) like there was nothing wrong with the world.

'Who the hell are you!?' He demanded.

'Very good question. My name is Rox, who the hell are you?'

'I'm Jak, ruler of Haven city, and you've killed my guards. Why?'

'Your name is Jak? How can you be sure?' Her reply stopped him in his tracks. That had been something he had wondered about himself.

'What do you mean?'

'I know about you.' Rox said calmly. _Kor would spend hours gloating_. She silently added. 'I know _everything_ about you.' Damn she loved psyching people out.

'Listen, I don't know who the hell you are, or why you're here, but you're going to leave, or I'm going to make you.' Jak snarled, feeling his blood begin to boil.

Rox rose from the throne and walked towards him, swaying her hips. 'I would _love_ to see you try little boy.'

'Really.' Jak's eyes glowed with demonic light. 

~The beast flexed its claws, but the scent the female gave off did not make it wish for the crimson glory of death nor the soft sliver of entrails. Well, not much~

She was inches away from him, the lights from the city dances across her oddly pale flesh, turning it to the colour of moonlight.

~The beast sniffed the night air, a silver shape flitted from tree to tree in the dark forest, long, slender yet muscular legs propelling it and great speed. The chase was half the fun~

Jak made the first move, closing the space between then with a punch, sending the girl sprawling to the floor. She gave a short laugh. 'Well done.' She kicked out with her legs, but Jak was expecting that, and jumped back. 'Very well done.'

Rox leapt to her feet and stood lightly on the balls of her feet, hands dangling loosely at her side.

~The silver creature looked round, so the beast wanted to play. It wasn't going to make it an easy game~

Rox backed away from him slowly, eyes beneath her goggles never leaving his face. 'What say we make things a little more interesting, my lord?' She had backed into a weapons rack and pulled out a wicked, heavy blade like a meat cleaver.

Jak's eyes dropped to the point of the weapon, it certainly looked very sharp. 'I don't suppose you'll let me get my hands on a sword?'

There was a deceptively soft noise as Rox brought the blade down to her side. Jak noticed that the hand holding it, her right, had only three fingers. The odd thing was that it didn't look like one had been cut off, more like she had been born that way.

'Of course my lord, the sword is the weapon of kings. You are not a king, but apparently, as the ruler of Haven, you come pretty close.' Was that a bitter irony in her voice he could taste?

'I've always wondered why that is.' Jak said as he pulled a slender short sword from the rack. 'Why is that, why lords and barons but never kings?'

Rox snorted. 'Pah, you're ignorance of history is appalling, Your Eminence, there have been no kings nor queens since Mar and his company, nor shall there be until the White Light returns to our battle-scarred world.'

Jak held the sword up in his right hand, the blade pointing to heaven. 'Guess I need to catch up on my history lesson, but when you're in jail they hardly worry about your education.'

'Very true boy. We have quite a surprising likeness.'

Jak gave a deep sigh. 'You know, I really hate it when the bad guys say that corny line.'

'It is rather vexing, yes.' Rox held up her blade and tapped Jak's with it. 'Let's see how you fare, son of Mar.'

Jak lunged forward, swinging wildly. Rox easily sidestepped his clumsy attack and brought her sword up to his neck.

Jak looked along the length of the blade. 'Damn, you must be pretty strong to heave something like that around.'

'You have no idea.'

'What now?'

'Onto round two.' She lowered her blade and stood back.

Jak glared at her suspiciously. "Why haven't you killed me yet?'

Why have _you not killed him yet? _Rox asked herself. _You have killed _thousands_, men, women, children, without a feeling-_

-you could not let yourself feel, you had to block it out, else you would go mad-

-you are mad, they made you mad-

-no! They did not win!-

-dose a sane person dangle their friends by their throats off the top of buildings? Kill him-

-...no-

-no? Kill him!-

-no-

-why? Why is this boy any different? Because he is the son of Mar? Look at his eyes, they're just like her's! The same shade of blue-

-no, I will not kill him, even if his eyes are blue-

-WHY!?-

-because I did not let Kor win, Rox, and I will not _let you either.-_

'....I have no quarrel with you, just your predecessor.'

Jak swung his blade, Rox parried. Thus the dance began. The partners circled each other, testing for weaknesses, testing for strength. Though it seemed to Jak something had changed in his opponent, near the beginning, despite having a natural talent for sword play, Jak realised that he had made many mistakes. He gave easy access to his body, but she did not make use of it. She fought like a master, and he was hard pressed to counter, but it truly did seem that she had no desire to do him any harm. This was the reason that Jak scored first blood, rushing forward with a surprising flurry of blows that caused Rox to stumble back. Giving him a chance to draw a thin line of blood across her abdomen.

~The beast gave a trilling growl in the back of it's throat, it pressed home it's advantage. It would have its conquest.

However, it underestimated the fighting spirit of the silver creature~

Snarling like a fiend from hell, Rox surged forward like a tempest wave, curling the hand that held the sword into a fist and punching Jak. He screamed and stumbled back, clutching at his face, the sword dropping from his hand. 

You have to kill him now. That treacherous voice in her mind spoke. _He will heal in a moment, you _know_ what Praxis made him, get him out of the way now, or he will _never_ let you leave._

Get him out of the way?

Rox dug in the pocket of her trench coat, cursing silently under her breath. _I bloody well hope I remembered._

Jak heard a sickening _crunch_ as his nose snapped back into place, gods that girl had a punch! No wonder the guards hadn't stood a chance. And at least that damn Dark Eco was good for something. He lowered his hands and opened his eyes just in time to see Rox throw something. Then the cold, he was frozen to the spot, how?

'Blue Eco restraints.' He looked up. Rox was right in front of him.

'You bitch!' He hissed.

'They went out of fashion quite a few years ago, thanks to the Eco shortage,' Rox continued as if she hadn't heard him, 'but a few are still around. As you can no doubt tell, they render their victim, quite, quite helpless.'

She leaned forward. She was so close. He could hear her breathing, in, out, in, out, slowly, calmly. It was so quiet now, he was almost sure he could hear the faint thump of her heart, in perfect rhythm with his own. He felt his own breathing slow, the furious pace of his heart slowed. She was so close now, he could smell her.

__

~The silver creature crooned deep in it's throat as it leaned over the beast. The beast purred as it reached out to caress the silver creature's back. The silver creature shifted it's position is a slight but crucial way, and the beast moaned~

Jak could feel something deep down in the centre of his being stir at this close contact. Was it fear? He was afraid, a psychopath had him in her power. It was fear, but something else was attached to the fear. Was it desire? Desire for what?

The voices in her head had silence, they too, it seemed, were curious to what would happen next.

__

What now? Rox tilted her head to one side as she considered Jak, up close he was even more handsome, his high cheekbones, and the intensity of his sapphire eyes, which burned with such anger and hate, but behind it, she could see something else. She was confused, so Rox leant closer, her chest touching his, to get a better look.

Fear. Pain. Sorrow. Loneliness. All of them too great for words. She knew those looks, eternally present in the darkness behind the eyes of a select few, she saw them in her companions, and in the mirror every day. Someone like them.

His breathing had slowed, now it was deep and heavy, his heart rate was normal. Her heart never raced, even in the heat of battle, but it was doing so now.

__

Why…?

There was something else in his eyes, growing with every second, eclipsing the others.

She reached out and ran her gloved finger's through his sun coloured hair, she could feel the silkiness of it with her finger tips by virtue of the gloves being fingerless.

'What are you doing to me?' Jak whispered. Her scent filled his senses, it was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He knew the feeling now. It was a private one. One only reserved for Kiera. His higher brain was horrified at the working of his baser instincts.

Lust.

Rox's entire being ached for contact. A simple touch to show affection, something that so many took for granted. A pat on the hand, a squeeze of the shoulder, a hug, a kiss.

On the mouth, like it was meant.

Touch had been forbidden, Kor hadn't wanted them to form attachments to each other. That was only after Ivy, Heaven and Ruby didn't know Ivy like she had. They had both reached out in the dark and their fingertips had brushed. That had been almost been it.

It had almost cost Kor a servant, it did, but it could have cost him another.

Kor was now gone, fading into darkness like a shadow caught in the glare of the sun. She. They were free to touch, but they didn't, afraid of what it would mean. It was something beautiful and unreachable, like a pressed flower behind a pane of glass.

The look on his handsome, angry face.

Now Rox knew the look in his eyes. Almost in a trance, Rox pulled the scarf from her face, revealing a thin face with a soft mouth, even now she did not dare to remove her goggles. She slid her arms around his neck.

A kiss on the mouth like…

Their lips brushed, a trial before they pressed their mouths hard against each other. Rox moved her mouth against his, arching her body against his. He tasted of mountain air, river water, sunlight on ice, a far cry from the smog and filth of the city he ruled. The corruption beneath his skin, that was where it remained. The muddy, dirty dark Eco was hidden away. It was only when Jak opened his mouth to her eager tongue that she caught the barest hint of it. Hidden, but never gone.

…it was meant.

Jak eye's opened wide. _What the hell do you think you're doing? _He raged at himself. _Somewhere in this building Kiera is sleeping, the girl you're in _love_ with, and you're playing tonsil tennis with a murderer. _What was worse, Jak knew that if it wasn't for the restraints, things would quickly escalate.

__

Restraints. You were restrained when Praxis had you. You lost your freedom for two years. You have now freedom now. Remember that. Remember your anger. It's your strength.

Jak pulled his face away from Rox. 'I have a girlfriend you know.' Probably not the smartest thing to say to someone who had probably fallen off the thin line of sanity.

Her reaction startled him. 'You think I care? It was just a kiss.'

Rox pushed Jak away, causing him to fall to the floor, she pulled her scarf back so it covered her face. Beneath it she licked her lips, she wanted to savour his taste, the sensation of lips against her's. She looked down into his eyes, the need in his eyes hadn't gone. _Do not harbour any illusions,_ she told herself, _he is like you, it would kill you._

'I am afraid I am going to have to love you and leave you, Your Eminence. You should be fine here until morning.'

'HEY! You just can't leave me here!'

But Rox was gone.

__

~The silver creature rose and fled through the trees. The beast howled in anguish. Unfulfilled, it would have to wait for the silver creature to reappear, if it ever did.

And next time, it wouldn't let it get away~

~*~

'We couldn't find anything, Rox.'

'We're sahrry.'

'Nothing? Nothing at all!? But Praxis kept records of all his experiments!'

'He did,' Heaven shook his head sadly, 'but he obviously didn't do any with Metal Heads.'

Rox smashed her fist on the wall. 'DAMNIT! Did you not find anything?'

Heaven pulled a rucksack of his shoulder and began to rummage inside. 'Actually, we _did_ find something.' He pulled out some sheets of paper.

'It wus in Praxis' most secret file.' Ruby added.

'We'd though you'd appreciate it.' Heaven handed the papers to Rox. As she read over them a sequence of expressions crossed her face, pain, confusion, anger, sorrow, and finally relief.

'You are sure?' She asked softly.

'Positive.' Heaven smiled.

'He is alive. It gladdens my heart to know this.'

'Do you want to go to him?'

Rox bit her lip and was sorrowful once again. 'And let him see me as _this_? No. until we are whole, it is better that he believes me to be dead. I can not imagine what it would do to him.'

'So whut now? Do we go an' see this Onin?'

Rox pocketed the papers. 'If Onin has any answers, she'll tell us.'


	3. Sympathy for the devil

Part Three: Sympathy for the devil

She fell and felt the darkness burning her. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, and the darkness poured in, filling her belly with cold fire. There was a feeling of her skin being striped from her flesh and water solidifying into icicles upon her raw flesh. She tumbled down, heat and life draining from her body until she was alone, small and naked under the eyes of the universe.

Then. Movement. Up. Up. Up. Up away from the pain and the cold. Was this death? Was she dead?

****

No. A voice spoke in her mind. As silent as the breeze, loud as thunder. Unassuming as the first cloud, as mighty as the thunder. Older than all things, greater than all things in existence come together. **You have yet your task to complete.**

Light.

Silence.

Pain…

Prism looked up at the sign above the bar in the waterfront. The legend "Naughty Ottsel" winked back at her.

__

Huh. She sat back on her haunches and raised her right back leg to scratch behind her ear. _Probably the only place in town I can get a drink. Oh well, should probably go inside, otherwise another smart arse is going to park on me or something. I wish I was bigger. _

The caturtle prodded the door with her nose and it opened with a _phisssh_. She padded in and looked around, Metal Head trophies glared down at her from every wall with blank, dead eyes. She felt the green fur on her neck stand up, they were really creepy.

Her pointed ears pricked up at the sounds of someone rustling behind the bar. She bound over and leap onto a stool. 'Yo!' She called out. 'How's about some service here?'

'Huh? Who's there?!' A tinny male voice replied. Prism sighed and jumped up onto the bar to find herself nose to nose with the ottsel himself. His fur was burnt orange and velvety with a lemon underbelly and stripes on his arms. On his head was perched a pair of racing goggles and on his hands a pair of brown, fingerless gloves.

'Are you Daxter? The new owner?'

He shifted his weight from one hind leg to another and folded his arms across his chest. 'Yeah, why? Whadda ya want?'

'Duh, this is a bar, ya daft fucker. A drink.'

Daxter looked the blue and green creature up and down. He didn't appreciate being called a 'daft fucker'.

'Really? And how do ya plan to pay for it?'

Prism blinked. She hadn't though that far ahead. 'Umm… with sexual favours..?' She hazarded.

'Piss off!'

'Oh, go on. I havn't had a drink in ages. I havn't gotten laid in ages either.' She added as an afterthough.

'Not my problem, soft shell. Besides, I don't _do _animals.'

'What the fu-? You _are _an animal!'

'Not the point you… you… what the hell are you anyway!?'

'I'm a curtle!' Prism snapped.

Daxter pulled a face. 'A _what_?'

'A _curtle_!'

'What the hell's one of those, then!?'

Prism grimaced. She hadn't walked across the city just to let this obnoxious fur ball get in her way. She needed beer, there was only so much window cleaner her one and three quarter foot tall body could take. 'Well, I'm not actually a curtle. I'm a cata... catat... cutatle... catle... curtal... _ack! _I can't pronounce it, okay? I'm a bloody fucking-'

'Caturtle!'

'Yeah, one of those.'

Prism the caturtle suddenly found herself enveloped in a crushing embrace, which wouldn't have been so bad except that she was upside down.

'Oh wow!' Tess gushed. 'I always wanted a pet caturtle when I was a kid!' A look of pure horror crossed Prism's face at the mention of 'pet'. ' What did the precious little thing want?' She asked Daxter.

'_Precious_?' Prism mouthed.

'A drink.' Daxter told the blond barmaid. 'But there's no way she's getting one since she can't p-' Daxter trailed off. Tess had reached behind the bar, opened a bottle of beer and was now feeding it to the blue shelled creature like she was a baby. Prism was looking confused and oddly satisfied.

Daxter sighed and reached behind the bar, opening himself a bottle.

'_Women_!'

Half an hour later.

'an', an' then she shays "Funny. It dinna do that larst night!"'

Daxter erupted into raucous laughter, pounding his fists on the table of the booth he and Prism were currently occupying. They were both sprawled over the table, surrounded by bottles, and they were both heartily drunk. Tess was behind the bar, dealing with the steady stream of customers that had started to fill out the area.

'Hey! Heyheyheyheyheyhey…' Daxter waved one paw in the air. 'I dun evan know ya… know ya name… babe… ya know?'

'Me namsh?' Prism asked, her voice rapidly descending into a 'I luv ya, yourra my besht fwien'' tone. 'I gottit 'roun' ma neck, shee?' The caturtle held up something that hung from a string around her neck. Daxter peered at it until it swam into focus.

'Isha… isha lupa glasch? Yurra, yurra name's Glasch?'

'Washa fuck? Na. Itsh a prism, onna, onna 'count of ma namesh being Prism, cos itsh ma name, Prism. Dat's me.'

'Prishm?' Daxter echoed. 'Thatsha pretty name.'

'Imma pretty person.'

'No yer not, yer weird.'

'An yer a fucker.'

'Ya like dat word, dontcha?'

Prism, gave this some though. 'Ish a good, alla pur-push word.'

'So,' Daxter said, changing the subject. 'Howya getting home?'

''Ome?' Prism looked depressed as only a drunk can. 'Baint got no home.'

'Oh.' Daxter considered this, and was suddenly struck with A Thought, the sort of thoughts you only get when your brain's been completely addled by alcohol and are going to regret in the morning. 'Yer can shtay here, wif me.'

Prism looked up. 'Really?'

Daxter nodded enthusiastically. 'Uh-huh.'

Prism gave a sort of lurch forward, and crushed the ottsel to her shell. 'Than' chu! Than' chu so much! No one's eva been dish kind ta me since… well, _eva_!' She nuzzled his chest. 'Imma, imma not jush shayin thish cos imm dwunsch, but ya der bestestest frien I eva had eva.'

Daxter patted Prism's head happily. It was kinda nice to have someone around who was shorter than him. 'Thin nothing oft tit Prishm… Prishm?' He nudged the female, she's fallen into a drunken stupour.

Daxter waved his arms about untill he caught Tess' eye.

'Umm… lil help?'

__

There was no heat in the prison cell, no running water, no light apart from what could find it's way down into the cells from the brightly lit corridors outside his door. Now the door was opening, a terrifyingly familiar shape eclipsed the light. He drew himself into a protective ball on the nest of rags he slept on.

'Time to go, boy.'

Two guards roughly grabbed him under the arms and dragged him out, in his weakened state he could not put up much of a fight, but he struggled feebly anyway, it wouldn't achieve much and he should really have tried to save his strength in preparation for the ordeal that was to come, but he did it in defiance, to show they hadn't beaten him. Yet.

'Jak?' Ashelin poked her head around the door of the young Lord's bedchamber, the heavy tapestries fluttered in the breeze that came through the open window. It was the hottest summer she could remember.

The lump under the bed sheets grunted softly. The Governor rolled her eyes and walked over to the bed. 'Jak, get up.'

'…go 'way!'

She prodded the lump, it yelped. 'Up! Now!'

A tussled, greenish blond head emerged at the bottom of the bed. ''M you sup'rior. 'M ordrin you ta lev me 'lone.'

'Nice try, but it won't work.' Ashelin siezed the bed sheets and pulled. 'You and me are on equal ground.'

Jak snatched at the sheets. 'N' shleep! Dinna shleep last ni'th.'

'I. Don't. Care.' Ashelin hissed, as the tug of war continued in earnest. 'You promised you'd get out of bed. We've. Got to. Go and see. The new Forman and technician!' She succeeded in wrenching the sheets from Jak and he muttered angrily. 'You promised.' Jak blinked owlishly at her. 'Oh, for Precursor's sake!' Ashelin pointed in the direction of the bathroom. 'Go have a shower and wake yourself up!'

'M'kay.' Jak stumbled off.

Ashelin sighed deeply and sank down onto the bed. She knew it was hard for Jak to adjust to his new life, and his insomnia wasn't helping things, but ever since the breach of the palace he was acting even more strange. Daxter said Jak hadn't been returning his calls and Kiera was complaining that he was being distant. Kiera had her own set of rooms in the palace, the ruler and his consort (or in Ashelin's grandfather's case, consorts) always had separate rooms, and took turns visiting each other. Indeed, the nobility were a strange breed.

Ashelin looked over at the clothes strewn across the floor. A smile curled on her rouged lips, Jak sure had kicked up a stink with regards to his new clothes. Ashelin had said that a Lord couldn't go around looking like a beggar. Jak had said that he had risen from humble beginnings and that he didn't want to lose touch with his past. And Daxter stole those clothes from a house in the richer part of town, thank you very much. Ashelin had said that they didn't need to wear expensive or extravagant attire, it just did look go going around polite society with a jacket covered in bloodstains. Besides, it was starting to smell. Jak had said, you got a point there, but the new clothes had better be like the old ones otherwise society wouldn't be polite for much longer.

So now it was the same pair of brown boots as before, only they'd had most of the grime and the occasional blood stain cleaned off them, white trousers and a new blue jacket with an important difference, attached to each shoulder was the symbol of the house of Mar, a sign of Jak's recently discovered heritage.

He'd been extremely stubborn about the chest ring.

Ashelin picked up the discarded clothing and laid them out on the bed, the new engineers wouldn't care what Jak was wearing and her time in the Krimzon Guard had taught her it was _not _a good idea to go rummaging around the lockers of young men, the slightly wrinkled clothes would do, at least they didn't smell, much.

Her sharp green eyes shot towards the door of the bathroom. Was it embarrassment? That Jak had been found bound up in his own throne room at seven o'clock in the morning when the guard changed and the bodies had been discovered. Perhaps it was guilt, for letting the maniac responsible escape.

Ashelin shook her head, she'd only known Jak for a short time, so she really had no idea what went on in his head. From the way Kiera, Daxter, and Samos talked, he'd been a sweet, shy, heroic kid. The sort of guy in fairy tales who came and rescued the princess. If that had been true, what had her father done to him, to make him change so? Whenever anyone, even Daxter, tried to talk to broach the subject of his imprisonment he clamed up and became snappish.

Jak emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel wrapped round his waist. He stopped and blinked at her, as is he was trying to remember who she was. The governor smirked, enjoying the view of well honed muscles and faded battle scars, the words _dripping wet sex god_ came to mind and she felt a flash of jealousy at Kiera, but then she remembered with whom _she _had showers with. There was no one else in the world quite like Torn.

'I'll wait outside while you get changed.' She told him. 'But hurry up, we've got to be there in half an hour.'

Jak nodded, ''Kay.'

Ashelin walked into the PowerStation, and no one was there. Ashelin huffed her annoyance, this was not her day, he'd better still be around.

Jak walked in to see Ashelin standing in the centre of the thunderbolt symbol of the floor.

Jak looked around the PowerStation, it's was pretty much the same as when Vin and run it. Same big black globe with the little blue lights like dancing faeries spinning in mid-air just above Ashelin's head. Same bright blue screens stretching from ceiling to floor above the brightly lit control panels, white letters and numbers that meant nothing to Jak chased each other across the LED surfaces. Behind the panels those strange, flying saucer like things span on vertical axis, blue energy crackling off them like lightning, earthing themselves in nearby pipes, and, to the far right, the warp gate hummed happily to itself. Jak felt a stab of pain in his chest as he though about the paranoid scientist, Vin had been an okay guy, no one deserved that.

'Hello?' Ashelin called out.

'Hellooooooooo!' A high pitched female voice chorused. Ashelin jumped and look around her.

'Iris? Is that you?'

'Well who else is it likely to be!' The voice replied.

'Where are you?' Ashelin questioned, scanning the room to try and identify where the voice was coming from.

'Don't worry, I'll be with you in two ticks of a wumpbee's tail!'

Was… Was Iris' voice coming from inside one of the control panels?

Suddenly the PowerStation was plunged into darkness as all of the lights flickered off and their was a descending note.

'oh bugger.' The disembodied voice said quietly.

Ashelin, who had know Iris a good many years, knew what that signified. She grabbed Jak and dived behind a barricade.

**__**

KAAA-PHWOOOM!

The control panel to the left of the warp gate exploded in blue light and spat out a young woman with dark, burnished red hair held back in a messy bun, pinstripe flares, sandals and half moon glasses. She went flying across the room, landed in the dead centre, and slid on her front the rest of the way, until she came to a halt by crashing into a wall.

She waved one had in the air, and raw blue eco energy crackled along it. 'It's okay! No one panic! I know almost _exactly_ what I did wrong!' The light's flickered back on.

She scrambled to her feet and brushed herself off. 'Ahh, well, back to the drawing board.' She stuck out her bottom lip and blew her long fringe out of her bright blue eyes. 'Hey there, Ash. Who's the cutie?'

'The "cutie" is Jak, the new ruler of Haven.' Jak, this is Iris, the new technician at the PowerStation.' Ashelin said miserably. Iris beamed and bounded closer to the pair. 'She's responsible for the Eco Grid, Precursor's save us.'

'Hey! I resent that remark, just because I'm a bit scatty doesn't mean that I'm not reliable!' Iris said. She held out her hand and shook Jak's vigorously. 'Pleased to meet ya.'

'Likewise.' Jak replied, looking a little nonplussed. 'Are you the new Foreman-woman as well?' His shoulder was starting to hurt.

'Who me? Naw. I would know the first thing about those huge drill thingies. You'll want Diego for that.'

'Where is Diego anyway?' Ashelin asked. 'He promised he'd be here.'

Iris released Jak's hand and jerked her head skyward. 'Crawling in the rafters somewhere.'

Ashelin looked up and saw an open hatch in the ceiling, a cascade of wires were hanging out of it, they were twitching slightly. The Governor cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled at the hatch.

'Diego!? It's Ashelin!'

'Don't bother.' Iris said. 'He probably can't hear you. I'll get him.'

The technician went over to a small cupboard and began to rummage inside, snapping her fingers and muttering.

'Where is it? Where did I put it? I know it's here somewhere. Ah, there we go.' She produced a megaphone and turned it on.

****

'Diego!'She yelled, causing Jak and Ashelin to jump and then cover their ears. **'Get your arse back down here now, we've got guest's who are important, and not tax inspectors!'**

The wires stopped moving.

'Who?' A young male voice called down. 'And turn that bloody thing off!'

**'Ash-** sorry - Ashelin! She's brought the new Lord to meet us, remember the memo we got yesterday!?'

There was a pause. 'Bloody towers. I completely forgot. Sorry, I'll be right down.'

From the hatch came the sounds of someone shuffling along a small enclosed space, then an oddly metallic screech, followed by a curse and a _whack_.

'Diego?' Ashelin looked a little worried. 'You okay?'

'Don't worry,' Iris said comfortingly 'He's fine, it's just we've still got some Metal Heads in the system, nothing to worry about.'

The wires shuddered a little. 'Look out below!' There was a loud thump and something dropped out of the hatch and landed between Jak and Ashelin. Diego rose to his feet and smiled a little nervously. He was approximately the same age as Jak, slightly taller and broader shouldered. He was dressed in a pair of new, light blue overalls, now covered in oil stains, on the left chest pocked was a darker blue lightning bolt. Under the overalls he had on a white t-shirt, also stained with grease, as was the white scarf he had tied around his neck. However, Jak found his attention being drawn to Diego's face.

Diego ran his gloved fingers through his short brown hair, the oil causing it to spike up. 'Hallo, you must be Lord Jak.' He said the his guest, he had a cheerful voice with an odd drawl to it that suggested to the listener _expensive education. _'I would shake your hand but,' the Forman held up his hands and wriggled the fingers, 'dirty hands.'

Jak continued to stare (rudely) at the left side of Diego's face. Ashelin glowered and nudged him.

__

'Jak!' She hissed.

'How rude. I would have though a Lord had better manners.' Iris interjected.

Diego's cheerful demeanour deflated somewhat. 'Urr…'

Jak blushed suddenly and looked down at the ground. 'Sorry.'

Diego smiled again, softly. 'It's alright, you're not the first and I doubt you'll be the last.' He reached up to touch the ugly, jagged end of his left ear, half of it had been cut off. 'Though generally it's small children.'

'And the tattoo, it's… kinda familiar…'

'Well it would be.' Iris put in. 'Diego here started out as a slave.'

'A slave?' Jak echoed. 

'It's wasn't just the Lurkers who were forced into labour.' Diego said. 'I was a captured and forced to work in the slave pits until I was thirteen. A certain captain of the Krimzon Guard noticed I had a gift for mechanics and he needed a mechanic for his newly formed racing team. Since it was either this, ' Diego pointed to the tattoo over his left eye, 'or spending the rest of my life in the mines, I chose the race garage.'

'Erol? You were Erol's mechanic?'

Diego nodded grimly. 'More's the pity, this told everyone that I was his property, and that I was valuable. It's common practice to do that to your own person slaves in the KG, the old KG I mean.' He added, looking at Ashelin. 'So if I tried to escape the guards were only to shoot to wound.'

'The KG had their own slaves?' Jak asked. Ashelin looked slightly embarrassed. 

'Only the high ranking officers, Torn and I never indulged.'

Diego nodded and looked around the control room happily. 'But now look at me, it turned out alright in the end. I'm free, I've got a good job, and I help people by giving them power so they can live in comfort.' Diego looked at Jak and his deep brown eyes glowed from pride. 'So I guess it all worked out in the end. And I heard you're the one who took out Erol, so I owe you my thanks, my Lord.' Diego inclined his head, Jak did the same and smiled. 

'You're welcome.'

Jak found himself both warming to Diego and Iris, and slightly jealous of them. Both the ex-slave and the eccentric treated Jak as their equal, not superior. It was nice to find some people who treated him just like he was anyone, not a Lord, not a saviour, just a guy. 

Diego studied the young Lord carefully without seeming to. It was a technique he had mastered when working for Erol. Obviously a warrior, from the way he stood, his muscles were lose, ready to tense in the moment of danger, so that he would remain supple and swift. There was an intensity in his eyes and his senses were on constant alert, on the look out for anything out of the ordinary. He was from base background, Diego could tell from the expression that crossed Jak's face when he called him 'Lord', Jak really had no idea what he was letting himself in for with this new status. _A shotgun coronation _Diego thought to himself _the people need a ruler, they want him, get it over and done with before he has a chance to say no. There will be anarchy if government changes to quickly, at least this absolute ruler has a kind heart. _

Iris' knowing eyes looked over at Ashelin, then to Diego. Her slightly manic exterior masked a diamond edged intellect, and she was good at reading people. She clapped one hand on Jak's back. 'Hey, I was a sorta slave myself ya know? I was kept locked up in the control room of the place and had to make sure everything was running. At the same time I was also working for the Underground, I was their inside informer. Let me tell ya 'bout it, I used to cause havoc! Like this one time, Erol had just won a race and came back dead drunk, so me and some new KG recruits decided to play a prank on him and we got some tar and-'

Ashelin touched Diego's arm. 'Are you sure you're happy?' She asked him quietly which Jak was being regaled by tales of Iris in the Palace.

Diego smiled. 'I said I was.'

'You don't have to do this, you know.' Ashelin said softly. 'I could announce it to the city, a simple DNA test would prove it.'

'No, Ashelin, we've talked about this already. What good would it do? What would be the _point_? Karka is a just a collection of bricks and mortar, there are only about two hundred survivors left alive. At least here I'm doing something constructive. Besides, you've helped me so much in the past, it's time I helped you.'

'But if it wasn't for my father, and the city, you wouldn't have needed help.' Ashelin said sadly, looking down.

Diego patted her on the arm. 'Don't worry about it Ash, what's happened has happened, we just have to move on-' he stopped as Jak let out a snort of laughter, Iris had evidently got to the tale entitled "And this one time I slipped some angel dust into Praxis' morning cup of coffee…" '-and deal with it. You need to get over your dad, Ash, otherwise you'll never be able to move the city forward. Now cheer up and bugger off, I've got a lot of work to be doing, and so do you. IRIS!'

Iris yelped and jumped like a scalded cat. 'Yes? Hello? What?'

'From the way those red lights are flashing on the Stadium monitor I'd take it you cocked up the wiring again?'

'So sue me, I'm not an electrician.'

'Iris, you _are_ an electrician, otherwise you wouldn't have this job.'

'Oh yeah, but I never finished the course.' She defended herself.

'Why?' Jak asked, eyebrows raised.

'Blew up the teaching centre. But I know almost _exactly_ what I did wrong.' Iris adjusted her glasses. 'I have an extremely high I.Q.' She said, as if it was an excuse.

'Just no common sense. And you get distracted by shiny things and flashing lights.'

'I can't help it, I was a bower bird in my previous life.'

'A moth more like.' Diego muttered, and turned back to Ashelin. 'You'd better get going, just remember what I said, and don't worry about me, worry about yourself. You're going to have a rough few days, especially from the aristocracy. I can't see Melva being to happy with the way things are right now.'

'You're right, she's not. I'm dreading meeting with her.'

'You'll be fine, just don't let her get under your skin. Come on, I'll show you out.'

Most of the inhabitants of Haven were outside, wearing their lightest clothes, if Daxter had been up, and not snoring off a hangover with his head on Prism's shell, he probably would have been out in the gardens ogling the sunbathing women, laying out on the grass, oiling their bodies like a turkey being prepared to be roasted. Despite this, one person was wrapped up. A figure crouched in a corner of the industrial section, cold in the shadows of the Palace, the dark blue of it's cloak causing it to almost blend in with the metallic walls. It's eyes were fixed on the door of the PowerStation.

Ashelin and Jak walked out of the door, blinking in the sunlight. Iris bounced after them. 'Hey, great to see you guys, come back anytime alright? Then I won't have to spend all my time with mister poopypants here.'

Diego rolled his eyes as he followed them out. 'Yeah, come back as often as you like, so I won't have to spend all day with miss "I know almost _exactly _what I did wrong".'

Ashelin swung herself into the driving seat of the Krimzon cruiser and started the engine. 'Don't worry, we won't.'

Jak sat next to her. 'Count on it.'

They took off, Iris and Diego waved them off.

'Now then,' Diego turned to Iris, 'let's go back and sort out whatever mistake you've made before we have some seriously P.O.ed racers wanting to bash our faces in with spare parts.' Iris opened her mouth. 'You dare.' Diego warned, waving a finger under her nose. 'You dare, and I'll have no choice but to tie you down and read you tacky romance novels.'

Iris' eyes bulged. 'NOOOOOOooooooo! Anything, anything but the novels!' She ran back indoors. 

Diego sniggered. 'Ooh, I'm so evil sometimes.'

Rox hunched her shoulders and tightened the hood around her face as she watched the young Foreman walk indoors. She had to have made sure, and now she was. He'd changed so much, he was taller, stronger, but it was _him_. Her golden eyes shut and she uttered a name as a soft sigh of longing.

'Kai…'

'_Rrrrawk!' _The voice came over Jak's communicator. Ashelin looked over at him and the shared a frown. Jak held the palm sized thing up to his mouth.

'Hello? Pecker?'

__

'Ahh, so you are _up.'_ The slightly static, overly sarcastic, voice of the Monkaw came over. _'Well, Onin and I have just had some _very _interesting visitors.'_

'So? What's that got to do with me? Who where they?'

__

'That's the interesting thing, they were Metal Heads… and Precursors.'


End file.
